STEAM Archives - MAIA https://www.maiaimpact.org/tag/steam/ MAIA is a nonprofit organization empowering Indigenous girls in Guatemala through education, leadership, and community development programs. Wed, 11 Feb 2026 17:22:34 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.1 https://www.maiaimpact.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/512-150x150.jpg STEAM Archives - MAIA https://www.maiaimpact.org/tag/steam/ 32 32 STEM: an engine for transformation https://www.maiaimpact.org/bloging/stem-an-engine-for-transformation/ Mon, 09 Feb 2026 22:45:50 +0000 https://www.maiaimpact.org/?p=9569
DSC02023-2

STEM: an engine for transformation

How mathematics, logic, technology and science open new possibilities for Girl Pioneers

At MAIA, we believe learning goes beyond acquiring knowledge—it’s about developing the ability to analyze, question, and make informed decisions—which is why we intentionally prioritize logical and critical thinking as a foundation for life. Mathematics, technology, logic, and science are not just subjects taught in the classroom; they are tools that allow Girl Pioneers to understand their surroundings, face challenges, and build solutions with purpose and meaning.

As Celestina Poz, Co-Director of the MAIA Impact School, explains: “At MAIA, we intentionally prioritize mathematics, logic, and science because they are fundamental pillars for holistic development. They strengthen critical thinking through problem solving connected to the students’ own contexts, with a level of rigor that invites them to analyze, question, and explore different strategies, allowing them to build their own processes to reach well-founded solutions.”

Transforming the learning experience

Within Guatemala’s educational context, many girls begin secondary school with significant gaps in mathematics and science. This reality does not define their potential, but it does shape the challenges they must overcome to continue their educational journey with confidence.

According to Sofía Cuc, a mathematics educator, in a recent BBC news report: “Some students enter the MAIA Impact School at 12 or 13 years old without the expected ability to add, subtract, or multiply.”

In this matter, Celestina Poz adds: “In Guatemala, there are significant gaps in mathematics and science within public education, the result of an educational system that does not always guarantee the development of the skills, competencies, and knowledge needed to begin lower secondary school. Aware of this reality, we created the Impulso program, designed to intentionally strengthen the academic foundations that Girl Pioneers need for their educational trajectory.”

Throughout their time at the MAIA Impact School, transformation goes beyond academic results. The way students see themselves also changes—strengthening their empowerment and their ability to solve problems in their daily lives, which in turn transforms dynamics within their families and, eventually, their communities.

From the classroom, this process is clear. Yulisa Julajuj, natural sciences and chemistry educator, shares: “As Girl Pioneers grow academically, I see how confidence transforms the way they learn. They participate more confidently, actively engage in problem solving, and understand mistakes as part of the scientific process.”

Results that reflect new opportunities

Our commitment to a strong, contextualized STEM -Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics- approach is reflected in concrete results. In 2025, MAIA’s Girl Pioneers scored 60 percentage points above the national average in mathematics, demonstrating what is possible when students receive consistent support, high expectations, and meaningful learning opportunities.

This impact extends beyond secondary school. In 2026, 65% of MAIA graduates are now pursuing university degrees related to science, including engineering, architecture, medicine, nursing, accounting, and business administration. These outcomes reflect educational pathways that continue to open and informed decisions that expand professional horizons.

Transformation also becomes visible when students participate and excel in broader academic spaces. In 2025, three Girl Pioneers from MAIA were winners in different national competitions in mathematics and science, including STEM-related competitions.

Reflecting on these achievements, Yulisa notes: “The main challenge is sustaining motivation, strengthening confidence, and overcoming contextual barriers. However, experiences like Alexandra’s in Guatemala’s National Science Olympiads or thewinners at CIMAT (STEAM competition) show that when students are given opportunities and proper guidance, they can reach high levels of scientific performance.”

Science, equity, and the future

At MAIA, we are convinced that transformation begins with a quality education that recognizes each student’s potential and creates the conditions for it to fully develop. Investing in science is investing in equity, autonomy, and futures in which young women actively participate in the creation of knowledge.

As Celestina affirms: “It is important for girls and women to be involved in science because we have the capacity, talent, and diversity of perspectives needed to innovate, create change, and contribute decisively to scientific and social development.”

On this International Day of Women and Girls in Science, we celebrate the Girl Pioneers who question, explore, and transform. Their journey reminds us that when science is accessible and meaningful, it can truly become a powerful engine for transformation.

Empowered Women, an Infinite Impact!

]]> Towards a better future: STEAM education for achieving gender equality https://www.maiaimpact.org/bloging/towards-a-better-future-steam-education-for-achieving-gender-equality/ Sun, 01 Aug 2021 22:43:00 +0000 https://www.maiaimpact.org/?p=7484
MAIA_2023-68

Towards a better future: STEAM education for achieving gender equality

Due to stereotypes and cultural norms, numerous misconceptions exist around women’s and girls’ access, participation, and success in STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics). However, STEAM education has many benefits for girls, from building confidence in their STEAM skills and abilities to developing problem-solving and critical-thinking skills.

At the MAIA Impact School, we are implementing an innovative curriculum designed to promote and boost the academic preparation of Girl Pioneers around science, technology, and art disciplines with a focus on creating knowledge and know-how.

Additionally, the school is equipped with an advanced science laboratory where girls can deepen their knowledge and get hands-on experience through practical learning.

Equally, we consider arts education fundamental to Girl Pioneers’ academic preparation. It improves creativity, motivation, and concentration and is associated with gains in math, reading, cognitive abilities, and verbal skills.

We know that to succeed in the formal economy and university, Girl Pioneers need to hone the competencies, skills, and knowledge needed in the 21st century. For this reason, with coaching from Team4Tech and the Universidad del Valle de Guatemala, we are redesigning our technology curriculum with the goal of strengthening key competencies and skills and integrating technology into additional academic areas such as literature, mathematics, science, and social studies.

 

 

 

A key strategy that guarantees the success of this academic model lies in the concept that “if she can see it, she can be it!” The ethnicity and gender mirroring ensures critical empathy and cultural relevance at every juncture. We are not only opening up concrete opportunities for Girl Pioneers to fully explore their talents and live choice-filled lives; we are also demonstrating that reversing the status quo is possible.

When girls and women lead in innovation and arts, they make them more inclusive, impact a larger population, and act as role models for more girls to get involved in these fields in the future!

Empowered Women, an Infinite Impact!

]]> Representation in STEM: MAIA’s Formula for Success https://www.maiaimpact.org/bloging/representation-in-stem-maias-formula-for-success/ Tue, 11 Feb 2020 17:16:00 +0000 https://www.maiaimpact.org/?p=7626
image-asset (34)

MAIA: maximizing potential through education!

The MAIA and Girl Pioneers’ story

Why is it important for girls to learn and excel in STEM not only in the classroom, but in the workforce as well? STEM is science, technology, engineering, and math, careers considered to be the changing forces for the future. It is estimated that 65 to 85 percent of jobs today will no longer exist in the next 20 to 30 years, in large part due to automation and ever-changing local and global economies. Women in developing countries are most threatened by this change because they are overrepresented in occupations that are most likely to become automated. The STEM fields are some of the fastest growing sectors of the global job market; however, women only represent 35 percent of the student body pursuing university degrees in STEM fields.

MAIA believes in the importance of representation. When girls and women lead innovation, they make it more inclusive, impact a larger population, and act as role models for more girls to get involved in this field in the future.

In Guatemala, the opportunity for indigenous women in STEM is almost nonexistent. This marginalization is reflective of greater social context, the poor quality of public education, and gender and cultural norms. According to the Ministry of Education’s 2017 national assessment of high school graduates, only 9.6 percent are considered proficient in math, only .59 percent better than the 2016 results. Similarly, in literacy only 32 percent of high school graduates are considered proficient, a .01 percent improvement from the previous year. This problem is compounded when considering that only 10 percent of indigenous girls graduate from high school and 1 percent receive a university degree.

The MAIA Impact School is working to transform these statistics and provide the tools Girl Pioneers need to have a choice-filled life and become leaders in the industry of their choice. MAIA offers a rigorous, culturally adapted curriculum that is delivered by educators who are pioneers in their own fields and come from the same rural towns as the Girl Pioneers. MAIA’s educators are powerful local role models for girls in Guatemala. 

Marlen Cumes, MAIA’s natural science educator, is from a small town in the Guatemalan highlands. When she was deciding on her career path, Marlen wanted to study agroforestry in university but was met with resistance from her family—they believed this was not a woman’s career. Marlen fought for her beliefs and passions and pursued her career as an agronomist. It was challenging for Marlen to follow her dreams and overcome deeply embedded stereotypes of what a woman’s career should be in rural Guatemala. Her graduating class was equally balanced, 50 percent men and 50 percent women. However, only 11 percent of the women were indigenous. During her studies, Marlen became passionate about soil preservation and climate change but would hit brick walls when trying to engage with adults in her community on this topic. Many adults already had their minds made up and would not respect her expertise as a woman in a male-dominated field. That’s why Marlen sought opportunities as an educator, where she could teach passionate young students who have open minds and want to make a difference in the world. Once she was hired as MAIA’s natural science educator at the Impact School, she found that she was in the perfect place to teach the next generation of changemakers in an organization that is breaking paradigms just as she did. 

MAIA is a bold organization that asserts the right of indigenous girls to pursue a high-quality education by emboldening them to use their voice in spaces where indigenous women’s representation has been limited, especially in STEM and technology. Divisions in access to technology reflect socioeconomic divisions and amplify the lack of access to opportunities marginalized groups face in developing countries. By investing in computers, a cutting-edge science lab, talented local educators, and intentional partnerships, MAIA is ensuring Girl Pioneers will have the skills and opportunities to become leaders in STEM fields.

Indigenous culture is integrated with MAIA’s identity and academic instruction, this is important because it creates an environment that is familiar and fertile for learning. One example of the integration of indigenous identity and academics is MAIA’s Zayed Sustainability Garden. MAIA was awarded the 2019 Zayed Sustainability Prize as the most “innovative and inclusive school in the Americas” and received $100,000 to launch the Zayed Garden at the Impact School. The Zayed Garden combines STEM learning opportunities with traditional Mayan farming practices, organic gardening techniques, and nutrition. As part of the Zayed curriculum, Girl Pioneers learn about traditional medicinal plants as well as organic and permaculture gardening. By integrating medicinal plants as part of the natural science curriculum, Girl Pioneers learn to integrate the knowledge of their ancestors with STEM subjects, giving them unique insight and experience in this field.

Claudia Marisol, a 10th-grader, recently participated in Ella Impacta, a competition sponsored by Vital Voices in Guatemala City, and competed against students from elite schools from all over the country to receive seed funding for community-based projects. Claudia proposed a project of family gardens, where families grow organic vegetables in their homes, with the goal of increasing access to fresh vegetables but also to address the problem of malnutrition in her community. This project would increase access to nutritious organic vegetables and diminish the use of chemicals and pesticides in rural communities, thereby fortifying nutrients in the soil, protecting water sources, and sharing information and resources about the advantages of organic gardening with community members. Claudia Marisol won $1,000 in funding for her project, and is applying what she learned at the MAIA Impact School to become a changemaker in her community. She’ll use the intersection of traditional permaculture techniques and the natural science curriculum (with support from her educator, Marlen).

It is essential to establish a sense of belonging for female minorities in STEM fields. According to a study in the STEM Education Journal, the biggest reason minority groups drop out of STEM majors in university is that they feel they don’t belong in that space. This is attributed to  interpersonal relationships, perceived competence, personal interest, and science identity. At MAIA, we create a positive learning environment in STEM and other culturally relevant subject areas, so Girl Pioneers feel a sense of belonging rather than alienation in these fields. We ensure they know they have the ability and expertise for any field of their choice, and if they choose to pursue a career in STEM that they have the tools they need to become leaders.

Marlen is a trailblazer in her community, ensuring younger generations can learn from her and follow her example. We see Girl Pioneers like Claudia Marisol following this path and multiplying impact to benefit the community. At MAIA, we are guided by the question “how far can she go?” and we are just beginning to witness the infinite impact of Girl Pioneers and their passion for learning and social transformation.

Empowered Women, an Infinite Impact!

]]>